Insect bites

The symptoms for insect bites would largely depend on the location of the sting, the toxins that get injected in the process (if any), and the way in which the child’s immunity system reacts to the sting. The most common symptoms that point out an insect bite are as follows:

Red, raised bumps all over the body, or just at the spot where the infant has been bitten

Blister-like formation in the affected area; it may be painful or itchy in nature

In some cases, there may be fever, swelling of lymph glands, rashes, or even joint pain

Children who are allergic to nature may develop more serious complications depending on the body’s reaction to the released toxins.

There may be swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, and even breathing difficulties.

Although the incidence of insect bites cannot be completely mitigated, some steps can be taken to avoid them:

Avoid taking your baby outside after sunset in parks and lawns which have trees as they are home to a number of insects and mosquitoes

Do not let water stagnate in and around the house; use mosquito nets and repellents to keep the mosquitoes and flies at bay

Avoid areas where there are wasp nests, beehives, and trash cans with food scraps that attract insects

Try to cover your child with light clothing and a cap or sun to reduced exposed areas when venturing out

Once your baby has bitten by and insect, these are some of the steps you can follow:

First and foremost, if the stinger is still lodged in the wound, you must pull it out with tweezers or scrape it away with a credit card or the back of a knife

If you notice ticks in your baby’s body, use the same method to pull out the insects from the baby’s skin. Take care to avoid contact with tick fluids.

You can apply ice cube or keep the affected body part under clean, cold water to comfort the pain and cleanse it thoroughly

Oral antihistamine can be administered to relieve itching; acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be given to reduce pain

If the area is itchy or sore, a one percent hydrocortisone cream can be applied on it, once or twice a day for a few days

But if the bitten are becomes more red with the passing days or blisters occur along with discharge of pus, then a doctor must be consulted

If there are signs of allergic reactions, then the doctor’s advice must be sought at the earliest to avoid grave complications

An infant’s immunity system is not as strong as an adult’s immunity system and hence, the injury needs to be addressed instantly. They should be rushed to a doctor if they have been stung by a bee or wasp near any of their vital organs or sense organs. In extreme cases, they may lose consciousness or suffer from an anaphylactic reaction too – seeking professional help becomes of paramount importance then.